Alcohol and Drug Services Study (ADSS), 1996-1999: [United States]

The Alcohol and Drug Services Study (ADSS) was a national
study of substance abuse treatment facilities and clients. The study
was designed to develop estimates of the duration and costs of
treatment and to describe the post-treatment status of substance abuse
clients. ADSS continues and extends upon data collected in the Drug
Services Research Survey, 1990: [United States] (ICPSR 3393) and the
Services Research Outcome Study, 1995-1996: [United States] (ICPSR
2691) with a more complete sampling frame, an enhanced sampling
design, and more detailed measures of treatment services provided, the
costs of treatment, and clients in treatment. ADSS was implemented in
three phases. In Phase I, a nationally representative sample of
treatment facilities was surveyed to assess characteristics of
treatment services and clients including treatment type, costs,
program capacity, the number of clients served, waiting lists, and
services provided to special populations. In Phase II, records were
abstracted from a sample of clients in a subsample of Phase I
facilities. This phase included four sub-components: (1) the Main
Study, an analysis of abstracted records to assess the treatment
process and characteristics of discharged clients, (2) the Incentive
Study, which assessed the impact of varying financial payments on
follow-up interview participation among non-methadone outpatient
clients, (3) the In-Treatment Methadone Client study (ITMC), which
assessed the treatment process of methadone maintenance, and (4) the
comparison study of Early Dropout clients (EDO), which provided a
proxy comparison group of records from substance abusers that went
untreated. Phase III involved follow-up personal interviews with Phase
II clients who could be located. This interview sought to determine
post-treatment status in terms of substance use, economic condition,
criminal justice involvement, and further substance abuse treatment
episodes. Urine testing was conducted to validate self-reported drug
use. Drugs included in the survey were alcohol, marijuana, cocaine,
crack cocaine, heroin, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, amphetamines,
non-prescribed use of prescription medications, abuse of
over-the-counter medications, and other drugs. ADSS also included a
cost study, which involved obtaining additional financial information
from the Phase II facilities. A computerized desktop audit was used in
the cost study to conduct consistency and accuracy checks on selected
questionnaire data from Phases I and II. Variables were subsequently
updated to represent the most accurate data available. Additional
analysis variables were then created using combinations of the revised
Phase I and II data.